Commonly called “runners’ knee”, Chondromalacia Patellae (CMP) is one of the leading causes of knee cap pain in younger people. The pain is caused due to irritation of the patella when it tends to rub against the knee joint resulting in tenderness and pain in and around the knee joint area.

This condition is relatively common and is prevalent in 25% of people. If you have been experiencing knee pain and would like to know more about this condition, then this blog is for you. With the inputs from a top knee specialist in Mumbai, Dr Niraj Vora we list out the causes, symptoms and treatment for Chondromalacia Patellae in this blog here:

What causes Chondromalacia Patellae (CMP)?

Femur, Tibia, Fibula and Patella make up the knee joint. The knee cap is the patella whose underside is articular cartilage that fits into the femur grove and glides on it to ensure optimal movement at the knee joint.

Any event that can negatively impact this articular cartilage can trigger degenerative changes resulting in pain and tenderness associated with Chondromalacia Patellae (CMP). It can be abnormal positioning of the knee cap, weakness and tightness around the knee muscles, misalignment of the femur, overload injury, hyperactivity of the knee – any event may irritate the cartilage which grinds against the knee joint to result in Chondromalacia Patellae.

What are the symptoms of Chondromalacia Patellae (CMP)?

“Knee tenderness and pain after prolonged sitting is often the first sign of Chondromalacia. Patients often experience a grinding or grating sensation in the knee after prolonged sitting”, says knee specialist and knee replacement surgeon in Mumbai, Dr Niraj Vora.

In addition to this other common symptoms suffered by patients with Chondromalacia include dull aching pain around the knee joint while running down the hill, getting down the stairs, and doing knee bends.

Diagnosis & Treatment for Chondromalacia Patellae (CMP):

A knee specialist in Mumbai starts the diagnosis of Chondromalacia Patella with a physical examination to determine the cause of the pain in the knee. He may order blood tests, standard X-ray, MRI and arthroscopy to further identify the incidence and severity of Chondromalacia.

Rest to the knee joint is the first thing prescribed by the knee specialist for the patients. This is followed by placing an ice pack on the affected area for 15-20 minutes four times a day for several days at a stretch. Remember that eh ice always needs to be wrapped before placing it against the skin.

Non-steroidal medications for pain relief, topical pain medications, and prescription pain relievers are the usual medications prescribed to manage the condition. In addition to them, patients are advised to make healthy lifestyle changes like following an exercise regimen to lose weight, adopting the right shoe with the right kind of inserts and support for physical activities like running.  Surgery is recommended to repair and correct the alignment of the articular cartilage only when the above conservative treatments do not improve the condition. Unlike knee arthritis, Chondromalacia can heal and will not need major procedures like knee replacement surgery, says top knee replacement surgeon in Mumbai Dr Niraj Vora.